Deadline for linking Aadhaar with welfare schemes extents till Dec 31

The Supreme Court was informed on Wednesday the deadline for linking Aadhaar to various government schemes for benefits will be extended till December 31.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Amitava Roy and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said the challenge to the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar scheme would be heard in the first week of November.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal told the court that deadline of September 30 would be extended by three months.

Venugopal made the statement after senior counsel Shyam Divan, appearing for a batch of petitioners, said that if government was inclined to extend the deadline, then the matter could be heard in November.

The Supreme Court of India recently declared Right to Privacy a fundamental right.

The verdict now will have a bearing on the challenge to the validity of the Aadhaar scheme on the grounds of its being violative of the right to privacy.

However, the Supreme Court is yet to pass its final verdict on the issue.